Kotaku Friday, January 17, 2025 5:00 PM  Gaming's ever-shrinking winter doldrums are almost over. In the quiet before the February release storm, we're spending the three-day Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend getting cozy with some older games and one new one. |
Kotaku Friday, January 17, 2025 2:15 PM  Far Cry 3 was released over a decade ago, and while it supported achievements on console and Ubisoft's own PC launcher, it didn't include any Steam achievements. But as Ubisoft returns to Steam, it's also going back and adding these missing challenges to older games, including Far Cry 3. And even better, Ubisoft is… |
Kotaku Friday, January 17, 2025 1:25 PM  A big 4K Blu-ray movie collection sale is happening right now, letting you grab all of the movies in some popular franchises—like Harry Potter and Mad Max—for around the cost of a single, new UHD film. But you'd better act fast as this deal ends in a few days! |
PCGamesN Friday, January 17, 2025 5:51 PM  Forget being the last survivor of a zombie apocalypse, Into the Dead gives you the gauntlet of keeping a whole group of survivors alive. If you're up for the challenge, you can download Into the Dead's demo, as over 300,000 players have already done. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best zombie games, Upcoming PC games, Best survival games |
PCGamesN Friday, January 17, 2025 4:33 PM  Think you could rebuild the world from a ruin? Now's your chance to find out. Endzone is a seriously underrated city-builder and right now it's less than $5 on Steam. So what are you waiting for? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city building games, Best strategy games, Best survival games |
PCGamesN Friday, January 17, 2025 3:32 PM  Katanaut is an action roguelite that pits your cyber-enhanced ninja against the kind of nasties that'd give even Ellen Ripley pause for thought. While it's not arriving until later this year, there's a demo out right now on Steam and it's well worth getting your hands bloody for. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelite and roguelike games, Best horror games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Friday, January 17, 2025 2:50 PM  If messing around with 22 heroes in Deadlock wasn't enough variety for you, Valve has just expanded the third-person MOBA's roster with four more characters. All graduating from its Hero Labs testbed, this quartet may still need some visual polish, but from a gameplay perspective, they're all raring to go. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Deadlock release date , Deadlock crosshair, Deadlock characters |
PCGamesN Friday, January 17, 2025 2:15 PM  Marvel Rivals' Storm, the weather wielding X-Men member, has established herself as a popular choice, not least because of her flight and lightning-hurling abilities. But the Marvel Rivals Season 1 update has buffed her even more, to the point of matching her Omega-level comic self. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Marvel Rivals codes, Marvel Rivals characters, Marvel Rivals tier list |
PCGamesN Friday, January 17, 2025 1:13 PM  SNK is adding rollback netcode to much-loved brawler The King of Fighters XIII, which should make for a smoother online experience. The catch is that the developer is essentially charging it for it, and players are making their displeasure known by review bombing the game. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best fighting games, Best multiplayer games, Best PC games |
PCGamesN Friday, January 17, 2025 5:04 PM  What are the Arknight Endfield banners? Having finally entered closed beta, we've been able to get a proper look at what Hypergryph is offering Endfield players as far as premium characters are concerned. From what we've seen so far, they don't disappoint. Of course, to pull for new Arknights Endfield characters you're going to need to try your luck on one of the Arknights Endfield banners. As of the beta, there are two different banners to pull from in the gacha game: one beginner banner and one limited banner. If you've managed to get access to the open-world game early, we recommend splashing your Oroberyl on the former - it's a heck of a deal - before moving on to the latter. To find out what they include, read on. Continue reading Arknights Endfield banners - beta and beginner banners MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best anime games, Best RPGs, Best action games |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 8:00 PM
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuux -Beginning-, the theatrical cut of the first three episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuux, will be headed to theaters in North America on February 28, 2025. Animated film distributor GKids secured the license for the film cut of the new anime. GKids has not yet announced which theaters will be showing the film or when tickets will become available.
The film is a compilation movie of the first three episodes of the newest entry in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuux (pronounced 'quarks'). The show is a first ever collaboration between Sunrise and Studio Khara, the Hideaki Anno-founded animation studio behind the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. It is set in an alternate Universal Century where Amuro Ray is not the one who finds the Gundam, but instead Char Aznable.
This film, and the first three episodes, center around Amate Yuzuriha, a young high-schooler living on the Side 6 space colony, who falls into illegal, underground Mobile Suit fighting. It was originally released in Japanese theaters on January 17, 2025.
The original three Gundam films were released in American theaters, showcasing the original adventure of Amuro Ray during the One Year War. In addition, it was recently revealed that Hololive Vtuber, Hoshimachi Suisei would be providing an insert song for the anime.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuux -Beginning- will hit theaters in North America on February 28, 2025 but no announcements for regions outside of North America have been made at this time.
The post GKids to Bring Gundam GQuuuuuux -Beginning- to US appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 7:30 PM
Developer Imagineer announced Sanrio Characters Miracle Match: Magical Onigokko, a new Nintendo Switch title where players control Sanrio characters and play tag. The game will come out on March 27, 2025 in Japan.
In this new entry of Sanrio's Miracle Match, a team of 6 characters known as "Challengers" cooperate to try and avoid the "Hunter." People can play as both Challenger or Hunter. The game includes 42 different playable characters, including popular ones such as Hello Kitty, Kuromi, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, and Pompompurin, among others. The game allows for single player and local multiplayer with 2 people.
By playing you can earn Jewels, an in-game currency available to use in the game's shop to buy new characters, as well as different costumes for them to customize their look. Each character has unique skills and attributes such as speed, magic, and radar, that can help in avoiding the Hunter or capturing Challengers with ease.
There is also a short promotional video showing how the game works, and you can check it out below. However, it is only available with Japanese text.
Sanrio Characters Miracle Match: Magical Onigokko will come out in Japan on March 27, 2025 for the Nintendo Switch.
The post Sanrio Characters Miracle Match: Magical Onigokko Is a Switch Game appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 7:15 PM
Cao Cao's bodyguard Dian Wei historically sacrificed himself to give enough time for his liege to escape from Wan Castle when Zhang Xiu plotted to assassinate Cao Cao right there in 197 AD. However, some of the prior Dynasty Warriors entries like Dynasty Warriors 8 allowed players to rescue Dian Wei and retain his appearance in subsequent stages. Those who are playing Dynasty Warriors Origins will thus wonder whether they can also save Dian Wei from his historical death in the game.
The short answer here is: Yes, you can rescue Dian Wei in Dynasty Warriors Origins. However, be advised that the below guide will contain major spoilers for the stage's details.
In the early phases of the stage, you simply need to follow the general strategy by starting to clear enemies from the eastern base and move in a clockwise direction while beating any approaching enemies, including reinforcements from the seemingly empty entry points. Once you have reached the castle's western walls, though, you must pay close attention to what you will do next.
You will of course need to beat Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu for Cao Cao to be able to escape Wan Castle. But instead of escorting the leader to the escape point, you need to stay inside the castle complex if you want to rescue Dian Wei. However, the area where Dian Wei stays will be perpetually locked, and there is absolutely no way to open the gate.
You are instead tasked to quickly defeat any enemy officers still remaining in the explorable areas of Wan Castle. The two remaining officers are Huche'er and Zhang Quan, whom I have marked in the above image. They will take even more time to beat due to their high courage levels, but defeating them will be essential to rescuing Dian Wei in Dynasty Warriors Origins.
If you are not quick enough, Dian Wei's combat area will turn red, and that would mean you have failed the secret challenge and thus must restart all over again. You will know you have successfully secured Dian Wei from his historical death when you see a "Fate Altered" sign. You can afterward focus on helping Cao Cao reach the escape point to clear the whole stage.
Dynasty Warriors Origins is available worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post Can You Rescue Dian Wei in Dynasty Warriors Origins? appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 6:30 PM
A new web event for Astra Yao of Zenless Zone Zero is now live. Playing through the "Should I Be the Stars of Lyra" web event can receive awards like Polychromes and Dennies.
After logging into your HoYoVerse account, you can start the web event. Story-wise, it follows Belle and Wise trying to win a contest since one of the prizes are tickets for an Astra Yao concert. Speaking with the other factions can earn you inspiration, and making tickets for the contest using these assets will give the aforementioned awards. You can also earn more stamina for messaging people in the group chats by completing tasks.
This Zenless Zone Zero web event is to promote Astra Yao, who'll be a new playable 5-star Ether Support agent in the game. She first appeared during a trailer for Zenless Zone Zero that played at The Game Awards 2024. Later that month, HoYoVerse also opened up a social media account for her. In-game, Astra is a famous singer and actress in New Eridu. This is likely why she's the only one marketed using a social media presence.
Zenless Zone Zero is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. Astra Yao will appear in the gacha from January 22, 2025.
The post Zenless Zone Zero Stars of Lyra Web Event for Astra Begins appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 6:00 PM
Square Enix has announced it will close the Square Enix Cafe location in Tokyo, Akhibara on March 31, 2025. The Square Enix ARTINA and Square Enix GARDEN locations will remain open. The Akhibara location originally opened in October 2016.
As the Square Enix Cafe location in Tokyo will close, consumers will have until the March 31, 2025 closure date to use their digital stamp card. That said, Taito will have more information on another official Square Enix merchandise location once renovations have been completed.
Square Enix has used it's handful of cafes to promote it's various video game franchises. This has included Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest, NieR, and Final Fantasy. Most recently, this specific location hosted a Dragon Quest HD-2D collaboration, which featured unique collaboration menu items and illustrations.
In April 2024, the Tokyo location hosted a Final Fantasy collaboration event to celebrate the release of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection. Much like previous collaborations, it featured unique food items and merchandise for consumers to sample and obtain for a limited time.
Other Square Enix Cafe locations that have closed include the location in Osaka. This location shut down in August 2021. As it stands, there is no mention of a potential closure for the aforementioned ARTIA and GARDEN cafes and stores.
The post Square Enix Game Cafe in Tokyo Will Close appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 5:45 PM
Sun Jian was historically killed in the middle of the battle against Liu Biao's army at Xiangyang in 191 AD. Details on his death vary by source, with causes ranging from arrow barrages to boulder drops. Some of the prior Dynasty Warriors entries like Dynasty Warriors 8 have had hypothetical routes where the player could alter such a historical event. Therefore, some may wonder whether it is possible to rescue Sun Jian in Dynasty Warriors Origins.
The short answer to this question is: Yes, you can save Sun Jian at the Battle of Xiangyang in Dynasty Warriors Origins. But while you can read the detailed methods to do the feat right below, be advised that this guide contains major spoilers for the stage.
When you start the stage from the eastern river bank, immediately head towards the southwest path and defeat any generals on the path to smoothen Sun Ce's army march. Do not even bother with the enemies camped around the northeast, although you may beat that one general Cai He who moves forward to pincer your allies.
Around the time you're working on the base at the end of the narrow path, events on the south side should have led Sun Jian into a struggle at the map's southwest corner. If you want to rescue the clan leader, you must make haste to the westmost gate and have your troops open it.
The rush will not be as easy as it seems, though, as the game will read your intention and thus generate a tough challenge on the way...
...That's right. For whatever reason, apparitions of Zhang Jiao and his Yellow Turban lackeys will appear to prevent you from rescuing Sun Jian and avoiding his historical death. They will also block the only path to reach Sun Jian, so you have no choice but to destroy Zhang Jiao's ghost. However, this task will not be easy even with souped-up gear, as the ghost has maximum courage and thus will take a lot of beating to defeat.
The absolute requirement to save Sun Jian is to reach him first before Huang Gai could. So once you have finally defeated Zhang Jiao's ghost, head south immediately. You may try to beat Huang Zu and other nearby officers on the way, but if it takes time and Huang Gai is also getting closer to the goal line, you really should prioritize reaching Sun Jian first.
The Battle of Xiangyang stage in Dynasty Warriors Origins will end with an alternate ending as soon as you have successfully rescued Sun Jian. Note that this also means you cannot simultaneously accomplish the Ultimate Warrior difficulty challenge to beat the enemy leader Liu Biao at the north end of the fortress. If you want to do the latter mission, I'd recommend replaying the stage via Free Mode.
Dynasty Warriors Origins is available worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post Can You Save Sun Jian in Dynasty Warriors Origins? appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 5:30 PM
The Square Enix store in Japan is selling goods with the logo for the "Something Like a NieR Dinner Show 12024: Lovely Food and Music Plus Keiichi Okabe And His Jolly Friends" event. These items are exclusive to the Japanese store.
All of the items are open for pre-order at the moment, and they'll ship out from February 28, 2025. You can get:
As mentioned earlier, all of the goods use the logo for the NieR dinner show, as well as the key visual. For context, the key visual looked like the main trio for NieR Automata standing in a burning city. Meanwhile, a giant version of Keiichi Okabe looms over the city, with the light reflecting off his glasses to give him a sinister look.
Keiichi Okabe is a Japanese musical composer and arranger, whose music production studio Monaca composes for multiple anime and video games to this day. He was one of the people who worked on the music for NieR Automata, which won "Best Score/Music" during The Game Awards 2017.
As for the dinner show in question, it was an event that took place in late December 2024. The dinner show was a paid event, with VIP tickets allowing people to attend a meet and greet with guests like Keiichi Okabe, Yoko Taro, and singer Emi Evans.
NieR Automata is readily available on the PS4, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch.
The post NieR Dinner Show Goods Available in Square Enix Store appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 5:00 PM
SEGA announced Metaphor: ReFantazio Hero and Gallica figures will release in June 2025. However, these figures will not be available for purchase, and instead can only be obtained at various amusement facilities in Japan. The website does mention that this will not be limited to physical locations, and that select online crane services will have the figures available as well.
You can take a look at the Metaphor: ReFantazio Hero and Gallica figures below:
As it stands, these figures are a limited release exclusive to Japan. SEGA or ATLUS has not mentioned if these specific Gallica and Hero figures will be available to obtain in any other way. Both figures feature each character sitting, with the website stating that either are great accessories for your bookshelf or desk.
Consumers can also read the Metaphor: ReFantazio manga in English through the MangaPlus service. Chapters of the manga will release simultaneously worldwide, which means English readers won't have to dodge spoilers this time around. The first chapter will be entirely in color and will feature a total of 58 pages.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. The Hero and Gallica figures will be available to obtain in June 2025.
The post Metaphor: ReFantazio Hero and Gallica Figures Arrive This Summer appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 5:00 PM
Square Enix will add new Kingdom Hearts stickers and stationery goods based on the world of Atlantica from The Little Mermaid film to the game's stationery collection. The items are now available for pre-order from the Square Enix online e-Store and they are expected to release in Japan on June 28, 2025.
The new Atlantica stickers come in a pack of 10 and they cost 880 yen (or about $5.63.) Meanwhile, other goods include a notebook refill that costs 1,320 yen ($8.45,) as well as washi tape and a sticky notes set, both of which costing 880 yen (~$5.63) each.
You can take a better look at the new Kingdom Hearts Atlantica stickers and goods here:
The Kingdom Hearts stationery collection originally appeared in June 2024 and it includes goods inspired by the Disney worlds of Agrabah, Wonderland, Olympus Coliseum, as well as the original worlds of Traverse Town and Destiny Islands. Most recently, Square Enix added new items to the line, including a notebook based on Roxas's Diary from Kingdom Hearts II.
The Kingdom Hearts Atlantica stationery and stickers are now available to pre-order from the Square Enix online e-Store. They will release in Japan on June 28, 2025.
The post Kingdom Hearts Atlantica Stationery and Stickers Based on Little Mermaid appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 4:00 PM
Back in December 2024, Atlus kicked off a Metaphor: ReFantazio Character Election popularity poll that tasked visitors with voting for their favorite characters, and the latest video update shared that Leon Strohl da Haliaetus is currently winning as of January 17, 2025. The survey ends on January 31, 2025, at which point the "winner" will be "elected." Voting is open at the official site now.
There are 46 possible options to vote for in the Metaphor: ReFantazio Character Election popularity poll. While the hero and his allies are all represented, so are antagonists and both major and minor NPCs. As expected, party members and major characters all round out the top 10.
Here are the top ten Metaphor: ReFantazio characters in the interim results so far who appear alongside Strohl. I also noted the number of votes they had at the time the video was shared:
The only allies to not make it into the top 10 are Juani "Junah" Cygnus and Arvid Svendel Grius. Junah was at 792 votes as of the interim results announcement, while Grius was at 119. Brigitta was the only follower to make it into the top 10.
Here is the official video showing the Metaphor: ReFantazio Character Election popularity poll results so far:
Metaphor: ReFantazio can be found on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the manga adaptation will debut on January 21, 2025.
The post Strohl Currently Winning Metaphor: ReFantazio Popularity Poll appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 3:30 PM
Bandai Namco's action MMORPG Blue Protocol will officially shut down at 10pm JST on January 18, 2025. Despite the developer's attempt to keep the game afloat, it struggled to keep a steady player base, and the studio decided back in August 2024 to shut it down.
Blue Protocol originally released for PCs in Japan on June 14, 2023, before later appearing for the PS5 and Xbox Series X on December 13, 2023. While Bandai Namco had plans to release the game in Europe and North America alongside Amazon, its worldwide release was canceled due to the end of the Japanese version.
The game received several content updates throughout its roughly a year and seven months lifespan including two new playable classes, the Beat Performer and the Blitz Lancer, as well as story chapters 4, 5, and 6. A week prior of the game shutting down, Bandai Namco shared instructions on how to uninstall the PC version of Blue Protocol as well as the Bandai Namco Launcher.
As a reminder, developer Bokura recently revealed Star Resonance, a new action MMORPG set in the world of Blue Protocol.
The Blue Protocol end of service falls on January 18, 2025 at 10pm JST. The Bandai Namco Launcher will also cease its functions at the same time.
The post PSA: Bandai Namco Shuts Down Blue Protocol Tomorrow appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 3:00 PM
Blade Chimera makes a stellar first impression. The title screen is awash with synthwave and neon, welcoming you before the game drops you straight into the action. You're a man named Shin, equipped with a plasma gun for hunting demons. That's all you need to know; now go! Some impressive opening set pieces later, you know you're in for a good time. Even better, it maintains that quality through the whole experience.
Blade Chimera is the newest game from Team Ladybug, the studio who previously gave the world Touhou: Luna Nights and Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. Unlike those two games, this one is not based on an existing property, allowing the team to take its expertise in making Metroidvanias and apply it to a world entirely of its own creation.
That world is a future Japan, where demons roam after being driven back from the remnants of humanity by the Holy Union. This religious order operates under strict rules, from enforced gender roles to a limit on what tools their own agents can use to take down demons. Shin is one of the Holy Union's Vicars, hunting down titanic demons that are threatening humanity. But as his journey progresses, he uncovers secrets that reveal some dark truths at the heart of everything. Refreshingly, this world is discovered organically, with minimal lore documents cluttering up the place. You discover the world's customs, history and quirks entirely through NPC interactions and environmental storytelling.
This approach to worldbuilding is a major strength for Blade Chimera. Many mysteries lie at the heart of this world, and few answers are forthcoming. This mystery drives the story forward, leaving plenty of space for speculation. It drip feeds information to you and leaves you to piece it all together. I'm a big fan of stories told this way, so Blade Chimera always held my attention. That said, some of its deeper revelations were a little too obvious in how they were telegraphed.
This all helps hold together a solid side-scroller. Ostensibly, Blade Chimera is a Metroidvania with an open map and ability unlocks that enable you to reach new areas. However, it doesn't quite line up with the traditional structure, where new abilities lead you to new objectives. Instead, abilities are unlocked from a skill tree and open up optional collectibles, while forward progression is instead locked by story events. The result feels more like a hub world wrapped around different mission locations that can be revisited at any time than a true Metroidvania experience.
Blade Chimera ileans heavily on the "vania" part in a few other ways. While Shin is initially equipped with a plasma blaster, it doesn't take long before you unlock the ability to equip melee weapons and gain access to a magical demon held within a sword. The weapon options plus the animations they use strongly evoke the Igarashi Castlevania games, especially Symphony of the Night. Even the game's central unique feature, the demon sword, is reminiscent of the Sword Familiar in how it follows Shin around. Even the map design appears to have been copied over.
This means that if you're familiar with Konami's series, you'll jump into Blade Chimera with ease. Combat and movement feel extremely similar, right down to Shin's delightfully stompy walk. The most notable exception to this is the lack of a backdash, something I would have liked them to have copied. There is a dodge roll, but its default forward movement can lead to accidental collisions, while also lacking the finesse of Alucard's stylish moonwalk.
The main mechanical difference from these obvious inspirations is Lux. This demon appears to Shin during the game's prologue, taking the form of a magical blade that looks like a sword but is really a Swiss army knife in its versatility. It can be thrown forwards as an attack but directing this throw towards a wall or floor causes it to stick in. While stuck, it generates a shield that deflects most demonic projectiles. It also has a physical presence, so slamming it into a wall can create a platform to reach higher spaces. It can also be used as a grappling hook and reality warping tool for specific puzzles.
I had a lot of fun playing around with all these features. It was immensely satisfying to react to an enemy suddenly throwing projectiles with a surprise shield, followed by plasma blasts from the safety of my ethereal cocoon. The ease at which you can switch between melee, ranged and magical is also endlessly fun, making Blade Chimera incredibly smooth to play.
All this confidence is backed up by stellar presentation. The visuals are meticulously detailed pixel art, once again inspired by Castlevania when it comes to character animation. But it goes much further than this, as moody cityscapes gaze out at you from the background, subway stations are littered with unique graffiti and an abandoned cinema features detailed movie posters peeling off the walls.
Enemy designs are also a highlight. The demons you're forced to face are an assortment of yokai, ranging from the standard oni and tengu to more unusual types such as the kasa-obake (haunted umbrella) and rokurokubi (long-necked woman). They even threw in a few surprise enemies, one of which genuinely made me laugh out loud for how silly it was. There's a huge amount of imagination on show in these designs and I loved seeing what else the devs had cooked up for me in each new area.
Sadly, Blade Chimera is not without its problems. While the loose Metroidvania structure is generally not an issue, sometimes the lack of progression through abilities forces some awkward design choices. This was most obvious when I wandered off to explore some areas I hadn't been and found an area I couldn't make any progress in. However, when the story demanded I headed in that direction, a platform mysteriously appeared. This felt like a cheap way to gate off areas I'm not expected to go to and I would have preferred if it just needed a double jump obtained from an appropriate boss instead.
There were also moments later in the game where unnecessary frustrations began to creep in. One sequence mandated that I cross the entire map while moving at a crawl compared to my usual speed. Checkpoints were locked out, meaning any death during this sequence required me to repeat the long, tedious trek all over again. This was immediately followed by a requirement to head to an area locked by a keycard, with no indication where the required keycard was, and no amount of warping to seemingly unfinished areas seemed to help uncover it. These were both major blips to an experience that, up until that point, had great pacing and a decent challenge.
However, these moments aside, it's easy to recommend Blade Chimera. If a cyberpunk Metroidvania with a cool magical sword and an intriguing yokai-infested world sounds good to you, you need to play it. Has some occasional missteps but overall remains a great experience.
Blade Chimera is available for the Switch and PC.
The post Review: Blade Chimera Is a Stylish Cyberpunk Metroidvania appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 2:30 PM
Jazwares announced a new celebratory Sanrio Squishmallow of My Melody, and the plush is designed to celebrate her 50th anniversary. It costs $19.99 for the 12-inch tall stuffed animal.
This version of My Melody features a more pastel pink color scheme than the rabbit typically has, and her ears have more of a lop-ear look to them than usual. There are green bows with red roses on each ear. She also is designed to look like she has a pink Lolita sort of "outfit" on, with ribbon and white "pearl" accents.
Here's a closer look at the new My Melody plush:
This new plush is only available directly through Jazwares. It is part of a Select Series tiers. This mens that only about 10,000 of them will be made. The tag on it also notes it is a "My Melody 50th Anniversary" item.
This isn't the only time Jazwares released a Sanrio anniversary Squishmallow, as it happened for Hello Kitty in 2024 too. There were a number of different variants to honor the mascot. Some of them are still widely available, such as pink and purple monochrome one, a pink embossed one, and a blue embossed one.
It is also one of many items designed to celebrate the character's anniversary. She turns 50 this year, while Kuromi turns 20. The mascot first debuted in 1975.
The 50th anniversary My Melody Sanrio Squishmallow is now available directly through Jazwares.
The post See the 50th Anniversary My Melody Squishmallow appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 2:00 PM
After confirming that FFVII Rebirth is a Steam Deck verified game, Square Enix also announced that it made Steam Decks designed to resemble the Final Fantasy series Chocobo mascot. These will eventually be given away, though the company didn't note how the contest tied to them will work yet.
An official video showed how one of the FFVII Rebirth Chocobo Steam Deck models will look in real-life. The video begins with what looks like a custom Steam Big Picture Mode startup movie based on the game. As it turns on, we hear a Chocobo "wark" and see a yellow backdrop with feathers. White feathers then drop across the screen, turning it totally white with the FFVII Rebirth logo.
We then see the Steam Big Picture Mode UI, with FFVII Rebirth front and center as the first game on deck to play. (The other immediate icons in the Current Game row are also FFVII Remake and Crisis Core: FFVII Reunion.) From there, footage of the game running on the Steam Deck is shown. It closes out with us seeing the front and back of the special cover for the system, which is filled with yellow feathers and has some brown leather accents on the left and right sides that say "Square Enix" and "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth."
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will come to the PC on January 23, 2025, and the second FFVII remake game is immediately available on the PS5. The original FFVII Remake is on the PS4, PS5, and PC, and the third entry in the series is in development. FFVII Ever Crisis is also available worldwide on both the PC and mobile devices.
The post Square Enix Will Give Away Chocobo Steam Decks for FFVII Rebirth appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, January 17, 2025 1:30 PM
We're about a week away from Lan Yan making her Genshin Impact debut, but it turns out we can already gather all her materials now. HoYoVerse revealed everything the new four-star unit will need. It also shared a Collected Miscellany video going over the skills Lan Yan can use in Genshin Impact.
As usual, the materials for Lan Yan in Genshin Impact are split into Ascension materials for leveling her up and Talent materials. Both of them require Whopperflower Nectar, Shimmering Nectar, and Energy Nectar, which are dropped by Cryo, Electro, and Pyro Whooperflower enemies. To level her up, you also need the Gold-Inscribed Secret Source Core dropped by the Secret Source Automaton: Configuration Device Normal Boss in Natlan. Items in the Vayuda Turquoise are used to level her up too, as are the new Clearwater Jades found in the Chenyu Vale area of Liyue. Her Talents also require the Teachings of Diligence books from Liyue's Taishan Mansion and the Eroded Sunfire drop from the Lord of Eroded Primal Fire Weekly Boss in Natlan.
Here's the full "Lan Yan: Ink-Feather Formation" Genshin Impact Collected Miscellany video. After a brief look at her in-game, we get to see her Swallow-Wisp Pinion Dance Elemental Skill. That causes her to gain a shield that has an Elemental Absorption ability if you dash into an enemy with an element, due to her Four Sealing Divination Charms passive. Toward the end, we get to see how her Lustrous Moonrise Elemental Burst ultimate attack works against foes. That is an Anemo area of effect attack.
As a reminder, Lan Yan is a permanent addition to the Genshin Impact roster. She'll be available on all banners after her January 21, 2025 debut. She is also one of the four possible Liyue four-star units you can earn and get for free during the 2025 Lantern Rite event.
Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, PC and mobile devices, and Lan Yan will debut on the January 21, 2025 banner.
The post Genshin Impact Lan Yan Materials and Skills Revealed appeared first on Siliconera. |
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